You may now only play for 3 hours at a time.

gauss

http://www.interfax.cn/showfeature.asp?aid=4913

"This timing mechanism can prevent young people from becoming addicted to online games,"

the itinerant logic is questionable at best there... complain all you want about how games are handled these days in the US, we're not dealing with anything nearly as insane as this. i wonder how well games will comply with this ruling? can't be good for business.

Keg

I dunno what to think about this. mainly cause i've heard of a fair number of deaths or violence related to online games in asia. doesn't hurt to play for 3 hours then get up and strech for 30 minutes to an hour.

MoP

Yeah, Keg, but they're saying 5 hours between each 3-hour session.

I wonder how long it'll be before someone hacks that system...

rooster

holy shit, 5 hours apart.. I guess they see it as a serious problem. As indeed it is when people will die from intense playing sessions. Maybe it's up to the people to decide what is healthy, and maybe it is up to the government to decide that it's people need protecting.

Personally, I think that if someone wants to risk their health for an online game then so be it, but then part of me asks what if they are a father and husband.. but then the hard truth is it is still always their responsibility.

edit: the thing is though.. this is per game right? whats to stop them playing multiple mmo games, 3 hrs at a time in sequence? more efficient farming!

StrangeFate

...Well, that just means more chinese farmers in US/EU WOW servers, let the slaughter beginn!

I'm guessing some will start hosting their games outside china, and players will go to servers outside china.

Keg

oops, missed that 5 hours part. yea that's a little excessive in my opinion. An hour would be more decent. let someone hit the washroom, get some food, maybe realise he/she has a job they're late for.

I could live with that 5 hour break deal personally. I go maybe 3 hours at most. sometimes 4 if I get into a groove.

gauss

not only that, but what about the nature of addiction itself? do people not get addicted to crack if they wait long enough between hits? that's what's absurd to me. i'm not denying that there are serious problems associated with online gaming, particularly in asia for some reason, but this is not going to be an efficacious solution.

the people who get addicted are going to be addicted and do whatever they can to play: that's the basic definition of addiction, an uncontrolled compulsion that the user carries on despite conscious knowledge of the consequences.

neglecting a small child to the point of death? that's addict behavior. playing a game 49 hours straight (or doing anything for 49 hours straight)? that's addict behavior. these people need help, and i don't think it's within the games' power to self-regulate.

they're penalizing the people who can enjoy responsibly, as well as not really addressing the issue. i don't envy the people in the position to try and make these kind of changes for the better, because they're clearly trying to help a problem. this isn't the solution, however.

aesir

China is a constant source of amusement for me.

rooster

what is though? I thought I heard something about game addiction centres a while back, could that be the answer?

cholden

We forget that these who died playing games were sitting down. Same as the people who died on long plane flights.

When will the goverment save us and outlaw chairs?!

Keg

[ QUOTE ]
When will the goverment save us and outlaw chairs?!

[/ QUOTE ]

But how are we to get lap dances then?? lie on the ground?

jzero

Oh, that silly People's Republic! They still think they can regulate the rate at which our Corrupt Capitalized Individualist Materialism overtakes their Noble Revolutionary Workers' Social Union!

Wheee!

/jzero

PaK

I wouldn't say that 3 hrs of playing games in one sitting is ridiculus; but assuming that it was it's 'still' not addressing the issue at it's source. I guess it's human nature to look for a quick fix rather than investigate the root of addiction.

-R

oXYnary

I think Korea has spurred this more than anything.

KDR_11k

That'll be a big punch in the face for China's MMORPG sweatshop industry. It allows a maximum of 9 hours per day and that only with a fairly weird sleeping routine. Of course they'll try ti find a way around and increase their profits but realistically, circumventing Chinese laws is kinda... unhealthy.